Province alters weighting of diploma exams in bid to ease student anxiety

Alberta's education minister hopes diploma exams weighted below pre-pandemic levels for this school year will “ease the burden” for students and help their mental health.

The end-of-year tests will account for 20 per cent of final grades, which is an increase, but still below the 30-per-cent weighting diploma exams had before changes the province made during the pandemic.

The decision was made to adjust the weight of the exams in response to feedback from students, parents and educators concerning learning loss and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Since June of this year, I have met with over 40 public, separate and francophone school authorities and many other stakeholders and listened to their perspectives,” said Education Minister Adriana Lagrange in a statement.

“Changing the weight of diploma exams will reduce the burden on students while still giving them valuable exam writing experience. We're making this temporary change to place less of a burden on students and improve their mental health.”

Diploma exams are normally administered in November, January, April, June and August.

In 2020, the diploma exams were cancelled for April and June because students were learning from home, while they were administered once again in August of that year.

During the 2020-21 school year, the exams were optional. The January 2022 diploma exams were cancelled, while all remaining exams for the year were weighted at 10 per cent.

Brandi Rai, president of the Alberta School Councils' Association, said with the diploma exam adjustments, the province has acknowledged how the pandemic has affected students and their learning.

“The Alberta School Councils' Association appreciates the recognition that a transitional return to traditional diploma exam weighting will help to improve students' mental health while giving them valuable exam writing experience,” she said in a statement.

They should be ramping up resources, ramping up supports

However, Opposition NDP Leader Rachel Notley said at an unrelated news conference Tuesday that she's heard from parents and students that the diploma exam weighting should not be going up at a time where there is still instability from the pandemic.

“There are so many parts of our K-12 education system that are struggling to deliver the kind of education to our kids that we hope to have them receive, so that they can have the best start in the future,” Notley said. “That is not a time to actually ramp up testing. Quite the opposite. They should be ramping up resources, ramping up supports and delivering a better quality of education.”

The Alberta Teachers' Association also noted in a statement the reduction of diploma exams is only a stop-gap measure.

“To truly address missed learning opportunities, the government needs to address the conditions of the classroom: smaller classes, more supports, additional teachers and educational assistants, and, finally, make diplomas optional,” the statement reads.

The weighting of the diploma exams will return to 30 per cent for the 2023-24 school year.